good morning. in afghanistan, a rare and unprecedented attack on shiite worshippers celebrating a holy day. many of the casualties are children. we'll have the latest from afghanistan's capital. good news for newt gingerich, the latest iowa polls say he has the best chance to beat president obama. we'll have more on his popularity. congresswoman michele bachmann has campaigned more in iowa than anywhere else. but our latest poll shows all that hard work may not be paying off. she's here with us this morning. and nasa says a far away planet passes the goldilocks

test. we'll find out what might be on kepler 22b this tuesday morning, we'll find out what might be on kepler 22b this tuesday morning, december 6th, 2011. captioning funded by cbs and good morning. welcome to "the early show" here on a tuesday morning. we'll get to kepler 22b soon. but i'm chris wragge. >> and i'm erica hill. we begin this morning in a suicide bombing that is being called unprecedented because it targeted shiite muslims as they celebrated a major holiday. >> secretary of state hillary clinton promised to support afghanistan's government for years to come. >> reporter: there were coordinated attacks in three different cities today. insurgents targeted the minority shia population on the holiest

day of their calendar where they performed traditional religion rituals. a suicide bomber struck outside the shia shrine in the heart of kabul. afghans say he walked into a large crowd and detonated his explosive. this picture, taken shortly after the blast, shows a blood-stained little girl surrounded by dead and injured children. this devastated mother cries. i only had one son. sectarian attacks are rare in afghanistan. violence tends to be along tribal or ethnic fault lines rather than between the different branches of islam. people took out their rage on the afghan police, furious they could not keep the capital safe. every attack like this undermines the public confidence that the afghan security forces will be ready to take control.

the concern now in this war-torn country is that a new avenue of violence could open up, dividing this fractured nation even more. >> mandy, quick question for you. anyone claiming responsibility for this at this hour? >> not yet. the taliban has already said that they have condemned the attack. although there has been early reports that a pakistani insurgent group may be behind it, though those reports are unconfirmed yet. >> mandy clark in afghanistan for us, thank you. and now the latest on the european debt crisis. on a new sign that it's spreading across the continent, even here to the u.s. >> a top credit agency is threatening to take action against almost all of the country that used the single euro currency including france and germany. good morning, mark. >> good morning, rebecca. it's frankly the last thing the euro zone countries would have wanted. in this crucial week when they're trying to create

stability for new rules on how the european currency works, the standard & poors warned it may downgrade the biggest economies like germany and france only makes their comments worse. >> the markets took the news predictably, they started slipping. and this after they had rallied on the news that dpermny's angela merkel and france's nicolas sarkozy had come up with a plan to deal with countries borrowing the most. >> overall, it is a positive thing that s&p have come out with this because it has turned the screws a little bit more. i think markets will give the euro zone a couple of days' breathing space. let's see what this friday meeting brings. >> into this financial storm has come u.s. treasury secretary timothy geithner. hymn his gym workout a fitting start to the week when he'll run through a marathon of meetings with european, financial and

government leaders leading up to the crucial summit meeting at the end of the week. the u.s. wants a workable plan from europe, knowing instability here is contagious. >> it is what comes out of the summit that standard & poors says whether they'll carry through on their threat to downgrade france and europe's credit rating from the coughetted aaa. that's exactly what europe doesn't need. >> we know what it's like to have a downgraded rating from s&p. they did it to the u.s. >> this european credit crisis has been dragging on for more than a year now, but this does seem to be the crunch week. the german/french proposals will shift power to the center of europe and away from the capital in terms of deficits. that will be proposed tomorrow.

it will be furiously debated through the end of the week and now there's even more pressure because of the s&p's threat. >> thanks, mark. we appreciate it. now we turn to politics with the first stage of campaign 2012, the iowa caucus is just four weeks away. >> dean reynolds has the latest "new york times" poll numbers out this morning. >> reporter: good morning, chris. the new poll provides more good reasons for newt gingerich to be happy and more reasons for mitt romney to be worried. the new poll found 31% of republican caucus goers now believe gingerich has the best chance to defeat president obama next year. compared to 29% who say that about mitt romney. in new york on monday, gingerich met with and apparently impressed donald trump. >> it's amazie ining how well h doing and how it's resinated

well people. >> reporter: the new survey showing gingerich in a good position plus his attempt to campaign in all 50 states if nominated kept the former speaker in the news. here in iowa, he released his first television feel-good appeal. >> we can rebuild the america we love. >> gingerich appears to have benefited the most from the end of herman cain's campaign. his popularity increasing in direct proportion to cain's decreasing. that's left mitt romney a little short on political oxygen, a condition that may or may not be relieved when he's endorsed later today by dan quayle. former democratic speaker nancy pelosi is suggesting there's a lot of unflatering information about gingerich from the congressional investigation of his conduct which the public may be interested in learning. and party regulars wonder about gingerich's organization or lack

thereof. according to the associated press, the campaign has already let slip the filing deadline for missouri's february 7th primary and could well miss deadlines for a certain number of signed petitions to file in ohio, indiana, illinois and virginia, too. >> as one top iowa republican official put it, mitt has the message. he's getting the money. but it's the mechanics to ensure victory that other candidates like michele bachmann and ron paul have and that gingerich stick lacks. chris. >> dean, thank you. and one republican candidate who has been very critical of gingerich is minnesota congresswoman michele bachmann. the caucuses, they are crucial to her campaign. she joins us this morning. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> let's talk about the new cbs polls that came out this morning. the best chances of beating president obama in the 2012

election is one of the questions asked. you see you come in at fifth place, 3% right now. it seems like the extra poll wasn't that long ago. but when you see these poll numbers, it seems like it was that long ago. why are the numbers not resinating? >> i think we're seeing two weeks can be an eternity in a race. two weeks ago, everybody would have said herman cain is the next nominee. this is a political wall street where candidates are going up and going down. i think we're perfectly situated to be exactly where we need to be on january 3rd. people are looking for who is the consistent conservative in the race. that's why i think they're going to come home and i'll be their candidate on january 3rd. if you take a look at the top contenders, mitt romney and newt gingerich, it's very hard for a tea partier to see them as the consistent conservative. they backed obama's health care plans, they've been for the global warming initiatives. they've been for the t.a.r.p. bailout. on issue after issue that is not

reflective of the tea party agenda, they've been on the wrong side of the issue. i've been on the ride side of the issue and i've been the fighter. i'm the only one that can stand on that stage and have a clear direct contrast where there's no compromising. >> you've spent the most time in iowa. you score high when it comes to face time and likability. but when it comes to the knowledge of the issues, people see you as one of the least knowledgeable candidates out there. why do you think that is? how do you think you can turn that around? >> i think i've demonstrated just the opposite. i'm a federal tax litigation attorney. i have the strongest fiscal background. i've started a business from scratch. i'm the only one who sits on the house intelligence committee who has current experience with foreign affairs and dealing with terrorism and also on the tea party issues and on social issues. i've got the most extensive background. so it's just a matter of continuing to put our message

out and i think i've demonstrated that strength, particularly on obama care. i'm the chief fighter of that issue. i think people will be shocked on january 3rd when they see the results. >> where do you think you have to place in iowa? >> in iowa, i think i'm going to place strong and we were run to go be first in iowa. >> let me ask you about newt gingerich. right now, he seems to be the flavor of the week, the month, whatever you want to call it. you have to attack him on some of his issues, you have calling him an influence pedaler, a flip-flopper. he's kakt called you factually challen challenged. where are you able to attack newt gingerich and show people that you are the conservative candidate? >> well, my point in all of this is to bring clarity. it's important for people to know where we stand on the issues, who we are and what we've done. it's both newt gingerich and mitt romney, both of them have significant flaws that don't

represent where the people of iowa are, particularly on the life issue. pro life is very important for eyans. mitt romney has been on the side of abortion, he has been on the side of same-sex marriage. newt gim gingerich came out this week and said he would not protect life from -- >> donald trump is going to be moderating this next debate in december. a number of people have stepped forward and said it could turn out to be a circus. what do you think? >> i like donald trump. i think he's a wonderful guy. so far, i think newt gingerich is the only one who has accepted the invitation for that. >> will you? >> we're still in the process of looking at it. but i have great respect for donald trump. >> do you find it bizarre that he's going to mot moderate a

debate? >> no. but one concern is he's already leaning towards a candidate. so there's questions about objectivity. but i have great respect for him. >> we do appreciate you joining us. we wish you the best. meanwhile, president obama is going to cob today with auto speech. >> bill plante has a preview. >> the president is going to a town of less than 5,000. that's where teddy roosevelt made a speech that put him at odds with his fellow republicans because it was a call for economic fairness, not unlike president obama's own request to tax millionaires. >> how can you protect high-end tax cuts for the wealthiest americans and barely left a finger going up for 160 million

americans who really need the help? it doesn't make sense. >> reporter: teddy roosevelt was calling for a more equal society 101 years ago in the age of robber barons. when i say i am for the square deal, said roosevelt, i mean not only that i stand for fair play under the present rules of the game, but i stand for having those rules changes so as to woshlg for a more substantial ewe quality of opportunity. one historian says that's why president obama chose the same small town in kansas to deliver his message. >> he's trying to paint the republicans as being grinch like, being misers. this is time cure with the hot holiday season, with the need for some tax breaks for the middle class. he has to reclaim the great american center right now. and the figure who speaks for the center is thee row door roosevelt. >> reporter: as the president continues to pressure congress,

they're ticking away the days before the tax cut expires at year's end. president obama has slammed republics for their unwillingness to increase taxes on the very wealthy to pay for extending that tax cut. >> so my message to congress is this. keep your word to the american people and don't raise taxes on them right now. now is not the time to slam on the brakes. now is the time to step on the gas. >> kansas is a red state, of course. no democrat has won there since '64. the president's goal is to paint himself as the populist candidate, a champion of the middle class. >> bill plante at the white house. >> bill, feel better. >> yeah. now here is jeff glor at the news desk with the latest headlines. >> chris, welcome back. rebecca, good morning. in ow news, a woman who fell from the retired ocean liner queen mary has died. the ship is operating as a hotel.

witnesses say a 26-year-old woman fell last night from a walkway into the water 75 feet below. a passerby and two police officers pulled her out, but she died at a hospital. in dallas, there was a deadly gun fight on an amtrak train between three undercover cops and a suspect. the suspect was killed, two others were hurt including one of the officers. it is a big morning for a lot of cheese heads. the green bay packers are offering a quarter million shares in the nation's only publicly owned pro sports team. the price is $250 a share. the packers, of course, the current super bowl champes and are 12-0 this year. a new study on fat says sitting is not good for us at all. good thing i'm standing right now. scientists at the university of tel aviv found prolonged sitting makes your rear-ends larger. over time, they say fat cells develop faster in parts of the body where there was the most pressure, like your bottom when you sit. up to 50% more fat cells.

the researchers say even exercise has a tough time footing this accumulation. the best advice? don't sit for extended periods. here is something you don't see every day. palm trees and snow in las cruces, new mexico. how about that? yesterday white yot conditions. we had some rain out there. there is the rain making its way from the northeast to southeast. it is 60, very warm, we will continue to rice in the afternoon. -- rise in the afternoon.

still ahead this morning, we'll go under cover in syria to see pro democracy demonstrators its opponents. also, we'll look at the lives and the issues at stake in this debate. this is "the early show" on cbs. [ male announcer ] imagine facing the day

with less chronic low back pain. imagine living your life with less chronic osteoarthritis pain. imagine you, with less pain. cymbalta can help. cymbalta is a non-narcotic treatment that's fda-approved to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain. one pill a day, every day, can help reduce this pain. tell your doctor right away if your mood worsens, you have unusual changes in mood or behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing of the skin or eyes. talk with your doctor about your medicines, including those for migraine, or if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles, to address a possible life-threatening condition. tell your doctor about alcohol use, liver disease, and before you reduce or stop taking cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing.

side effects include nausea, dry mouth, and constipation. [ male announcer ] ask your doctor about cymbalta. imagine you, with less pain. cymbalta can help. go to cymbalta.com to learn about a free trial offer. all-natural benefiber, the fiber supplement that's taste-free and dissolves completely. so you can put it in whatever you like, even water. benefiber. makes taking fiber easier. - i wanted to get cindy something special this year. - you went to kay. she'll love it. [chuckles] trust me. i know. - the charmed memories collection from kay jewelers, the number one jewelry store in america. - i love it.

you've hurt your knee before. >> hamstrings, too. >> you don't have that many options if you want to avoid surgery, but now a lot more people are asking for a nonsurgical procedure that was first discovered by elite athletes. a doctor injects concentrated blood particles called platelets into the injured area to speed up healing. >> the treatment is not approved by the fda yet, but that's not stopping people from requesting the procedure in droves. we'll talk about that, coming up.

were going on vacation, so i used my citi thank you card to pick up some accessories. a new belt. some nylons. and what girl wouldn't need new shoes? we talked about getting a diamond. but with all the thank you points i've been earning... ♪ ...i flew us to the rock i really had in mind. ♪ [ male announcer ] the citi thank you card. earn points you can use for travel on any airline, with no blackout dates. earn points you can use for travel on any airline, i think you're really gonna love it.t wait for you to open this. i really think i'm gonna love it to.t to open it. i can not wait. can't wait to open it. my, my hands are shaking. i'm so excited, i'm so excited... my whole body is vibrating with anticipation. open it, please! open it, you should open it, i'll open it. no, no.

dad. did you know it's 22 days, 11 hours and 2 minutes to christmas? [ mumbling ] ...enny days, 8 hours, 9 minutes... 18 days, 17 hours... [ mom ] let's go, young lady. [ female announcer ] they're for building excitement for christmas.

12 days, 18 hours... come on. it's no days! [ female announcer ] the hallmark countdown to christmas ornament. 5 hours and 59 minutes and 41... 40...39... 38...37...36... be five percent more merry with the target red card, i love it!0...39... by getting an extra five percent off our already low prices. plus free shipping at target.com ♪

. not much of a sunrise. we will have more on that after the first weather. >> the rain is making its way over the state. not that heavy, but rounds of rain and drizzle most part of the day. it is warm, 60-degrees and we will continue to rise in the afternoon. upper 50s and near 60, up to the mid 60s with that rain around. for the check on the roads, there is a mess out there were -- with the rain. some accidents coming in, 70 east bound, that is near the

beltway and another on 100 at 295 to the west downed 295. 295 and 83 south bound, the slow down -- -- -- here is the beltway drive times and speeds, there is a live look at the accident on 295 at 175. there is a traffic report brought to you by the 25th and 26th event at the theater. in the news this morning, the wjz story, a police officer shot another and we are live outside the trauma. >> the police shade that the weapon accidently discharged, but there could be more to this story. looking inside the home where this happen, at least five

bullet holes in the wall. they busted the homeowner's record, they looked into the shots fired. in has been more after that c.e.o. was shot. the jury will deliberate this the bow bowe call. more on the conviction that could lead to 12 years in prison for the former governor of illinois. more on the controversial

abortion law passed in kansas ,,

welcome back to "the early show." i'm chris wragge. later today, u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton meets with syrian leaders. >> western media has seen little of the government's brutal crackdown on the opposition. correspondent clarissa ward went under cover to bring us the story. >> good morning. syrians have been demanding the end of the assad family. it's estimated that syrian leaders have killed 4,000

civilians. for months, this is what we've seen of the revolution in syria. shaky cell phone video of demonstrations met with bullets. to meet the people holding those cell phones, we entered the country as tourists carrying only a small camera. rezenzae insists on using her real name. she cannot show her face. she is in hiding. the regime is looking for her. >> are you scared? >> who is not? but we have to continue. this is what we have been dreaming of long time ago. >> she took us to the damascus suburb of duma, to the funeral of a 16-year-old boy shot by security forces while he ducked for cover at a protest the day before. men and women poured in by the hundr hundreds, tinged with defiance. >> this is real syria, okay?

if you come, you will see real bodies. they are not strong. they are not toys. they are real bodies. >> reporter: they want international military support and they say they will not give up their protests until president assad's regime falls. a helicopter circled overhead, but the chanting only got stronger. we are peaceful and they are shooting us, they shouted. we want freedom. there's a special graveyard for protesters who have been gunned down in did you ma. here they're called martyrs. there are 60 graves. a man just handed me this photograph of a family member of his who was killed. he was only 13 years old. the u.n. estimates at least 4,000 people have been killed. activists tell us the number is much higher. but the violence has only fueled

the protests, moving closer to the heart of the capital. just outside of damascus, people are housed here every single night and demanding -- these protesters had rarely seen reporters from outside the country. they handed us notes. we don't shed tears for the martyrs. we shed tears for the court, one read. later on, razan introduced us to people who have paid a high price for demonstrating against the assad regime. this 20-year-old was shot three times at this protest in july, captured on a cell phone. five months later, he had bed ridden, but he says the minute he can walk, he will be back on the streets marching for freedom. >> he says the regime is the devil. >> reporter: certainly it's a regime that shows no sign of listening to its own people.

what is your message to president assad? >> leave. leave now because you know that you will leave in the end, but with more victims and with more sufferings of the people. so just leave and leave us to start our new future, our new country. you've got enough of our blood. >> in the last couple of days, two well-known activists have been arrested by syrian security forces, really highlighting the enormous risks that these people are taking to speak their minds. >> talk about enormous risks. you did this alone, right? i'm blown away that you were able to pull this off alone. did you ever feel your life was in danger at that appointment? >> i think there's several challenges that you're facing. obviously, the logistical challenges of trying to go under cover. you can't speech xwlish on the

streets. i was always wearing a head scarf. the people i was with were very much wanted by the assad regime. every time you go through a checkpoint, you're holding your breath and praying that they don't do any further investigation. >> do you think we're getting an accurate portrayal here of what's happening there, having seen it with your own eyes? >> no, i don't. i really don't. it's a desperate situation that's happening over there and all that we're seeing are these shaky you-tube videos. is government is making it so hard for international journalists to go in there and do their jobs. until more people go in, i don't think it's possible for the world to understand what is happening. >> i think you probably had a pretty good idea of what you were getting into or what you would see. did anything catch you off guard? >> i think what surprised me was the diversity of the opposition. it wasn't just one group of people.

there were men, women, christians, muslims, they were old, they were young. the need and the desire for change there is really pretty widespread. >> thank you. good to have you here this morning. we'll have more from inside syria tonight on the cbs evening news with scott pelly. coming up next, the issue of abortion rights taking center stage in kansas. >> we're going to look at the impact of three new anti-abortion laws about we come back. this is "the early show."

w. twizzlers. the twist you can't resist.

hi quarterback everybody. welcome to "the early show." for over 40 years, americans have been arguing over abortion and whether it should be legal. one of the chief battlegrounds is kansas where a doctor who provided abortions was shot and killed by anti-abortion activists two years ago. >> cynthia bowers has the story. >> reporter: dr. tracy hauser checks on a patient in her kansas office. >> we are good. we're done. >> reporter: the married mother of two who asked not to be

identified never dreamed she would be here. >> i found out at 14 weeks that my baby had encephalie. i was told if i carried my baby to term that within five minutes of being born, my baby would die. >> reporter: her obstetrician suggested the clinic, one of only three in the state that still performs abortions. access that could soon be cut even further. >> kansas in the heart of america is a culture of live state. >> reporter: since taking over in skrarn, governor sam brownback has enacted through new laws restricting the procedures. one requires both parents of a minor give notarized consent before any abortion. the second prevents private health coverage insurance and the third gives the state's health department broad authority to regulate the state's providers.

>> we considered this common sense legislation that almost all kansas citizens would like to see. >> reporter: the supreme court's landmark roe v. wade ruling made abortion legal across the country, but a 1992 ruling allowed states some power to regulate it. earlier this month, mississippi voters rejected a call to declare a fetus a person. kansas senator mary pilter-cook says her state's regulations are solely intended to protect women. what do you say to people who view these restrictions as a means of outlawing abortion by a side door? >> we're protecting women's health and safety. we're making sure that parents make the decisions over their children's health care. and we're making sure that taxpayers are not paying for

abortions that they believe are immoral. >> abortion is a medical procedure. it's not a political procedure, but it's being made that by the government. >> reporter: dr. tracy nauser and her ob/gyn dad herb hodies see it much differently. >> wa do you think about these new regulations? >> they're onerous, they're completely unmedical, they're unnecessary. >> it's blantly obvious and it's death by a thousand paper cuts. >> fe fear outlawing abortion will drive women to illegal clinics. >> women will go back to dying if we don't stop this railroading of women's rights. >> reporter: a fear now understood by a woman who didn't think she supported abortion rights. >> it was definitely the most difficult decision that i had to make. i want people to know it's not a black and whitish. there's so many gray areas. >> and you're still doing good?

>> reporter: and she fears it's the women in their gray areas that stand to lose the most if these laws hold up in court. >> as cynthia mentioned, kansas is not alone. lawmakers in ohio are considering to ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. that would effectively outlaw abortions for women after the fifth or sixth week of pregnancy. still to come here on "the early show," students come together at florida a&m to say no more hazing. we're going to get the latest on the hazing related deaths of a student drum major. and later, the far away planet that could have life on it. we'll tell you what's so special about kepler 22b. liday secret. there's only one place that has the new kardashian kollection, apostrophe, uk style by french connection, structure and bongo... all under one roof. sears has all the styles they love, at prices you'll love. and all the money you save...

well, that can be your little secret. right now, get an extra 20% off with your family & friends pass. that's real gifts. real joy. sears. the best approach to food is to keep it whole for better nutrition. that's what they do with great grains cereal. they steam and bake the actual whole grain while the other guy's flake is more processed. mmm. great grains. the whole whole grain cereal. this was the gulf's best tourism season in years. all because so many people came to louisiana... they came to see us in florida... make that alabama... make that mississippi. the best part of the gulf is wherever you choose... and now is a great time to discover it. this year millions of people did. we set all kinds of records.

next year we're out to do even better. so come on down to louisiana... florida... alabama... mississippi. we can't wait to see you. brought to you by bp and all of us who call the gulf home. we've done a good job caring for our mouths. that's why there's a rinse like crest pro-health multi-protection. it helps you get a better dental check-up. so be ready for your next dental check-up. try any crest pro-health rinse. i took some steep risks in my teens. i'd never ride without one now. and since my doctor prescribed lipitor, i won't go without it for my high cholesterol and my risk of heart attack. why kid myself? diet and exercise weren't lowering my cholesterol enough. now i'm eating healthier, exercising more, taking lipitor.

numbers don't lie. my cholesterol's stayed down. lipitor is fda approved to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who have heart disease or risk factors for heart disease. it's backed by over 19 years of research. [ female announcer ] lipitor is not for everyone, including people with liver problems and women who are nursing, pregnant or may become pregnant. you need simple blood tests to check for liver problems. tell your doctor if you are taking other medications, or if you have any muscle pain or weakness. this may be a sign of a rare but serious side effect. [ man ] still love that wind in my face! talk to your doctor. don't kid yourself about the risk of heart attack and stroke. if lipitor's been working for you, stay with it. lipitor may be available for as little as $4 a month with the lipitor co-pay card. terms and conditions apply. learn more at lipitorforyou.com. it's been 2 1/2 weeks since a 26-year-old florida a&m student died allegedly within a

hazing incident within the university anticipates marching band. >> this morning, students and administrators are promising to stamp out hazing on campus. >> some 2,000 students packed the university gym for an anti-hazing assembly. >> one, two, three -- >> reporter: that in time had the feel of a pep rally. >> we're in the college of love and charity. we are more than what the media makes us out to be. >> reporter: the assembly came in the wake of the death of 26-year-old robert champion, a drum major in the school's famed marching 100 band. champion died november 19th following an incident on a band bus after the florida classic football game. police believe hazing was involved. and last week, the university dismissed four students for their alleged participation in the incident along with the band's long time director. now administrators hope the crowd they want the school to

become a leader in the fight against hazing. students signed a pledge not to engage in hazing activity. >> and i said to myself, this has to stop, we have to stop it. >> reporter: and the university's president promised to break what he calls the culture of secrecy that surrounds hazing at the school. >> florida a&m university and its students are determined to be the leading voices to stamp out hazing on college and university campuses across this country. >> one of your own students here asked why it took someone else dying, essentially, to get this to happen. >> every allegation of hazing has been fully investigated and appropriate disciplinary actions have been taken. >> reporter: but that has yet to be determined. a criminal investigation is under way, looking into whether university officials ignored past warnings about hazing.

hannah ornor cbs news, tallahassee. well, coming up, we're going to take a look at a new therapy helping muscles and tendons heal. athletes love it, but does it work? thermacare works differently. it's the only wrap with patented heat cells that penetrate deep to relax, soothe, and unlock tight muscles for up to 16 hours of relief. that's 8 hours while you wear it, plus an additional 8 hours of relief after you take it off. can your patch, wrap, cream or rub say that? so if you've got pain... get up to 16 hours of pain relief with thermacare. they won't be beat. oh, actually... then i'd be like, you rule! and my kids would be like, you rule! i'd be like, yes, i do rule! ohh! that rules! oh, load up the sleigh; this is going to be a great christmas. yeah. ring dinga-ding, ring dinga-ding, ring, ring, ring me up.

[ male announcer ] no need to wait with our christmas price guarantee. we're so confident in our prices if you do find a lower one between now and christmas, we'll give you the difference on a walmart gift card. save money. live better. walmart. we'll give you the difference on a walmart gift card.

woohoo! whoa. haircolor is a chore no more! you gotta come see what's new. c'mon! tadaaa! welcome to haircolor heaven. aa-ah-ahhh! courtesy of new nice 'n easy colorblend foam. permanent, dimensional color, now in a delightful foam! just three shakes, foam it, love it! simply saturate hair root to tip, front to back. with tones and highlights. it's foamtastic! home haircolor, make room for foam haircolor! new nice 'n easy colorblend foam. your right color.

happened to come across quicken loans online.

[ chris ] quicken loans constantly kept us updated and got us through the process twice now. quicken loans is definitely engineered to amaze. they were just really there for us. like being able to shop for the gifts we want, maze. however we want... and have them ready for pick up in 5 minutes, guaranteed. and if the gift we want isn't in store, it's shipped to us, free. only sears lets you get the gifts you want, when you want, at the prices you want. guarantees like that can make anyone a true believer. now that's real joy, guaranteed. use your sears card to earn up to 5% back in shop your way rewards points. yeah, i toog nyguil bud i'm stild stubbed up. [ male announcer ] truth is, nyquil doesn't un-stuff your nose. really? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus liquid gels fights your worst cold symptoms, plus it relieves your stuffy nose. [ deep breath ] thank you! that's the cold truth!

thank you!

. it is five minutes before 8:00. it is nice and mildly warm. we have traffic right after the weather. >> it is warm, start wing the rain part. on the radar, here is a look over the state. the rounds of this will move southwest to northeast and it will continue to occur on and off through the day and tonight. heavy, right near columbia, that is moving to the city. the temperatures -- in the 60s. a lot of 50s to low 60s. upper 50s to around 60 and in the afternoon, topping out in the mid-60s. for the rest of the traffic, over to sharron. >> good morning.

if you are heading out, some accidents and delays working, one accident is 70 east bound at the beltway, and over on the other side, on clean up the road, there is an accident there and another on route 275 and 83 south bound, another eight minutes and 14 minutes on to 28th street. there is a look at the beltway drive times and speeds. february 24th and 26th, order your tickets for the "fly away "show. more on a friendly firing, a police officer shot by another? we have details. >> the police officer accidently fired his weapon, but there could be more to this story. looking inside the home where

this happen, at least five bullet holes in the wall. it happen monday afternoon after the care taker was busted with 27-pounds of marijuana. the police officer came in to search and the police are trying to determine why so many shot itself were fired and that police officer involve understand the shooting is on paid leave. more on the election last month, the mayor had been in office two years after the resignation of the former mayor. more on the online dating more on the online dating for the elderly and more ,,,,,,

when you spend more days than not separated from your own life... when the only thing you can be sure of is migraines with 15 or more headache days a month, you're living a maybe life. and you may be living with chronic migraine. but knowing that this thing you're going through has a name, means knowing you can find treatments that are right for you.

go to mychronicmigraine.com to find a headache specialist. and don't live a maybe life.

welcome back to "the early show." it's december 6th already. >> yeah. >> hi, everybody. i'm chris wragge along with rebecca jarvis. coming up, the high speed field of diop line dating isn't just for young people any more. older americans are checking on the dating websites, too, in record numbers. we're going to show you how the 55 and older age group is finding love in cyberspace. >> and we'll take you into the secret world of the military's elite special ops unit. there is a reason why they've earned the reputation for the toughest jobs. we're going to speak to the

author of a special book that traces the history of special ops. >> it is fascinating stuff. >> we're going to begin this hour with the story of a government program which some say is worse than the fast and furious gun running scandal where thousands of agents allowed the drugs to go from the u.s. to mexican drug cartels. >> we're in washington with a look at another program, this one entirely legal sending more weapons across to the mexican border. good morning to you, cheryl. >> good morning. selling weapons to mexico is so controversial because so many of the weapons fall into the wrong hands. nearly 9,000 police weapons have been missing. yet the u.s. has approved more sales of guns to mexico than ever before. we discovered the official tracking of all those guns leaves something to be desired. one weapon, ar-15 semi automatic

rifle tells the story. in 2006, this same rifle is legally sold by a u.s. manufacturer to the mexican military. three years later, it's found in a criminal stash in a region racked by mexican drug cartel violence. that prompts a sensitive cable uncovered by wikileaks. the u.s. state department asks mexico how the ar-15 and only for the military police was diverted into criminal hands. and more importantly, where the other rifles from the same shimpt went. these account for the current location of the 1,030 ar-15 type rifles reads the cable. there's no response in the record. the problem with weapons legally sold to mexico and diverted to cartels is becoming more urgent. that's because the u.s. has quietly authorized a massive escalation in the number of guns that go through direct commercial sales. it's the way foreign governments can acquire firearms faster and

with less disclosure than going through the pentagon. the state department decides whether to approve. and it did approve 2,400 guns to be sold in mexico in 2006. in 2009, that number was up nearly ten times. the state department has since for 2010 and 2011. with mexico in a state of -- with the cartel, nobody is tracking so many u.s. guns are ending up with the enemy. bill is a gun advocate. >> i think most americans are aware that there's a problem in terms of these drug traffickers in mexico, increases in violence, i don't think they realize that we're sending so many guns there and that some of them may be diverted into the very cartels that we're trying to get under control. >> the state department audits only a tiny sample, less than 1% of sales. the results are disturbing.

in 2009, more than a quarter of the guns sold to the region of mexico was diverted into the wrong hands or has unfavorable results. larry king says he understands the potential for abuse. >> there have been 150,000 or more mexican soldiers defect to go and work for the cartels. i think it's safe to assume that when they defect, they take their firearmses with them. >> but keane says the sales help the u.s. >> these support u.s. national security interests. if they didn't, the state department wouldn't allow them. >> do they need better oversi t oversight? >> certainly, but that's beyond the control of the industry. >> plaxico is now one of the world's largest purchasers of u.s. guns through direct commercial sales, beating out countries like iraq. an official has told congress the top priority is to advance national security and foreign

policies. rebecca and chris. >> thank you. now jeff glor is at the news desk with another check of the headlines for us. >> good morning once again. a brutal day of violence in afghanistan. three bombings on what is the holy day of masura. also in kandahar. the first blast, the deadliest, a suicide bombing is a shrine killed at least 50 people. more than 160 were hurt. many of the victims in kabul were young children who had gathered outside that shrine. meanwhile, the u.s. is paying an unthinkable amount for gas in afghanistan. $400 a gallon. that is the estimate. what it costs by the time that gasoline reaches remote locations in afghanistan, because it has to be dropped from a cargo plane by parachute. the expense is one reason the pentagon is exploring green

energy sources like solar panels right now. bp says haliburton deliberately destroyed evidence about last year's gulf oil spill. 11 workers were killed in what became the worst spill in u.s. history. did happen filed paperwork yesterday saying the destroyed proof of what was used on the well was unstable. republican voters in iowa think gingerich has the best chance of defeating president obama, 31%, edging out mitt romney at 29%. all over republican contenders are in the single digits. faa chief randy babbitt is on administrative leave after he was charged with drunk driving. babbitt was arrested saturday night in fairfax, virginia. police say he was driving on the wrong side of the road. babbitt apparently didn't tell administrative officials about the arrest until monday. his employment is boeing reviewed right now. and a delta flight out of kansas city made an emergency

landing last night. it had taken off with 7 people on board when the pilot said he lost power to the right engine and returned to the . good morning. rounds of rain over the state and it is warm outside. it is 59 right now. temperatures up a bit more, topping out in the mid 60s with that off and on rain. colder air will come into play, maybe snow on coming up next, a medical treatment that's getting a lot of hype. whether it really helps, we still don't know. >> we'll take a look at this

experimental healing process therapy called prp therapy. ♪ [ male announcer ] they've been tested, built and driven like no other. and now they're being offered like no other. come to the winter event and get an exceptional offer on the mercedes-benz of your dreams. it's our way of showing a little holiday spirit. but hurry -- the offer ends january 3rd. ♪

it burns! it's singeing me. it's the sun. get out of the office more often, with chili's $6 lunch break combos, featuring texas toast half sandwiches. chili's lunch break combos.

we all want fewer chemicals. all free clear oxi-active. a free clear detergent that's tough on stains and gentle on skin. try all free clear oxi-active. natural instincts can prove it. and they did. it's the only hair color that's clinically proven to be less damaging. for a healthy look... look no further than natural instincts. it's all good. they won't be beat. oh, actually... then i'd be like, you rule! and my kids would be like, you rule! i'd be like, yes, i do rule! ohh! that rules! oh, load up the sleigh; this is going to be a great christmas. yeah. ring dinga-ding, ring dinga-ding, ring, ring, ring me up. [ male announcer ] no need to wait with our christmas price guarantee. we're so confident in our prices if you do find a lower one between now and christmas, we'll give you the difference on a walmart gift card. save money. live better. walmart.

in this morning's top watch, prp therapy is a we of fixing a muscle, tendon or joint related injury without surgery and it is catching on. >> but the thing is, there is no firm evidence that this experimental treatment actually works. dr. john lepuch is here with more on it. >> prp stands for platelet rich plasma therapy. pro athletes started trying this about five years ago. now ordinary folks are requesting the treatment and some swear by sflipt we're both just happy to be moving again. >> after and during years of chronic foot pain, linda leonard is thrilled to be back in her boots. >> good girl, huh? >> while riding 15 years ago, her horse stumbled, prompting her to jump off. linda landed hard, shattering

her ankle.p off. >> the momentum blew it apart, in 40 places. and i thought, i'm really in trouble. i had to crawl out on my elbows and i was laying on the side of the road. >> arthritis set in. >> people who have pain every day, it's exhausting. i thought, is this going to be my life? and i thought, this smot the essence of me. >> linda spent years searching for relief. in 2009, she heard about an experimental nonsurgical slugdz that claims to stimulate powerful healing. linda sought out steven simpson, an osteopath who uses prp. >> we use platelets. they stimulate repair. >> the procedure is simple. a small amount of the patient's blood is spun in a centrifuge. they're injected into the injury. the cost varies from about $500 to $2,000. but it is rarely covered by

insurance because it's still experimental. >> we've had success from head to toe, from neck, back, hip, knee. >> but thus far, studies have been produced results that show it is a given. >> the prp is equivalent to cortisone injections. there are a few study that's show slight improvement, but it's really not an improvement that patients would appreciate. >> reporter: that didn't stop former nba star maurice taylor from trying it. he claims it eliminated pain in both his knees. >> i'm very sxriesed. it's a quick treatment. i'm surprised the treatment that takes so little time has such big results. >> reporter: but as editor and chief of the american journal of oerpts, dr. cann says further studies are still warranted. >> is the jury still out? >> absolutely, the jury is still

out. we need to see if we can select out those patients who have great benefit from it because it hats great potential. i was off the court and away from training for maybe two days. the third day, i was playing basketball. >> taylor now plays for a team in china. and linda leonard remains free of crippling dinner. >> go. maybe it won't work on everybody, but it works on me. it's given me mi my life back. >> prp is not yet fda approved. the agency told the news that licensed medical practitioners can use it, but they cannot claim the practice will cure any problem. >> interesting. you do see examples where perhaps it didn't correct a problem. is it just a fad in your opinion? why are doctors prescribing this for people? >> well, i think patients are coming in and asking for it, right? it's the classic clash between belief expressed-based medicine. last year, the international olympic committee commissioned a

report saying let's look at the entire world literature and see does it work. they found that it was safe so far, although there are no long-term studies. but in terms of it being effective, the jury is still out. >> we've been talking about this and they've been talking about it for the last five years, some have questioned the legality of it for years. the results, we hear from taylor in the piece, but overall, are athletes thinking this is the way to go? >> it's anecdotal so far. you know who was not in today's piece? my friend, richard, who had an injection in each achilles tendon for $2,500 apiece and it didn't work. we're not going to put him in a piece like that usually because it's not a great result. i think there's a very important study that people need to go back to. about ten years ago, everybody knew if you had arthritis of the knee, you do an ar arthroscopy.

you get better. 180 people, they divided them into three groups. one had the actual arthroscopy. another are a debris cleaning procedures. the other had a placebo. there was no difference between the three groups. interestingly enough, all three groups got better. so what is the contribution of the placebo effect? placebo is very powerful. and until you do these controlled studies, you know, you really don't know for sure. >> i was thinking about that placebo effect if people are going to their doctors and demanding this. where do you see this all playing out? >> i think it goes to informed patient consent, informed decision making which says in the privacy of that, what really goes on when you look at that patient in the eye, are you saying, i'm telling you, this works. in my hand, it works. but are you saying the honest truth? which is, look, the jury is still out. >> doctor, thank you so much. >> thank you, doc. good to see you. up next, something new under

the sun. >> nasa just found a planet that could be just right for living things. we'll tell you what we know. this is "the early show" on cbs. glad that one's over. yeah, i know what you mean. cigarette? you coming? umm, nah you go ahead. i'm good. alright. ♪ [ male announcer ] every time you say no to a cigarette, you celebrate a little win. nicorette mini helps relieve cravings in minutes. so you can quit one cigarette at a time. nicorette mini helps you go from one little win to another. until you reach your goal. nicorette mini. quit one cigarette at a time. is ♪ express yourself

[ female announcer ] the newest seasonal flavors are here. ♪ express yourself ♪ [ female announcer ] because coffee is like the holidays. ♪ oh, do it [ female announcer ] it's better when you add your flavor. coffee-mate. from nestle. [ female announcer ] it's better when you add your flavor. can i, can i (repeated) v.o: can now be enjoyed in your coffee ( can i, can i (repeated) ) v.o: only international delight v.o: put's the real flavours from v.o: your favourite treats inside

you know what this is? i'm communicating with another place. >> it does not surprise me you can do that. >> scientists looking for life on other planets like to talk about the goldilocks zone. not too hot, into the too cold but just right. nasa has found a planet that is right in that zone. >> if you've traveled at the speed of light, it would still take you 600 years to get in respect it's exciting stuff for astrophysicists. neal, great to see you again. how are you? there you go. >> i love it.

and i love the planet -- >> you know, you have to wear your work on your -- >> but apparently kepler 22b is not in there. >> fwhob it's not, but i can put it in with a marker. >> most of the planets that were discovered were jupiter size and you see, fine, it has planets, but we're looking for an earth-sized planet. you find a earth-sized planet and you need one in the goldilocks zone for life as we know it. so kepler, there's reams of data found a planet orbiting a star like the sun in the habitable zone, in the zone where you would sustain liquid water. so if it had an atmosphere like earth, it would be 70 degrees there right now. >> and that's what makes scientists believe the potential is there for life? >> the potential is there and it's very exciting. in the catalogs of planets that we now have, this is the first time we've had an earth-like

planet in the habitable zone with a star. we're kind of bias. we're looking for life as we know it. you can imagine, i suppose, life that tloeps tloefs on something other than water, but that's kind of -- we don't know how to get a handle on that. we do have a handle on life -- everyplace there's water on earth, there's life. even the dead sea. there's microbes everywhere on earth. >> what do you do with the information as you research this planet? how does it help life on this earth? >> excellent question. you build the catalog of these planets that don't have life. now you have observations to try and see the atmosphere, to see if the atmosphere has biomarkers for thriving life on its surface. then you say, if you ever have the chance to go somewhere or to target telescopes to listen for intelligent life, those will be at the top of the list. >> so what's next?

now that they've discovered it. it ain't close. >> i know. it's not close. but our fastest spacecraft today, it would take -- it would take something like 300,000 years to get there. >> god, i love an astrophysicist. that was live and crunching all those numbers, 600 million light years. >> probably even longer. i undercalculated that. but the point is, if you're going to do an experiment like that, you want the experiment to be resolved before you die. >> yeah. don't tip off any other scientists code for that. >> they have to come up with a better name for it, too. >> we'll have a naming contest. >> it's a mouthful. still ahead, the new face of online dating. a few extra lines. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

. some rain. it is warm outside. it is warm, but the rounds of rain over the state, later, the rain and drizzle and on and off today and tomorrow, the temperatures at 59 in baltimore and almost 60 in many areas. that is for the entire metro area. topping out in the low 60s to low 60 and then colder rain will come our way. how about the roads. >> if you are heading out, a

accident, south bound at 295 and that is locking a right lane. slight delay and the new accident, at route seven, that is still there and a new one on 50 west bound. >> here is a look from the road to the beltway and another 21 minutes on the j f x, down to 28th street. a look at the delay you will encounter. that is the traffic brought to you by the baltimore ravens. more on the holiday feast at $20 today. tastes so good. you will only see this on that investigation with two police officers. we have more on that story. >> the police said that the officer accidently fired his weapon, but this morning there would be more to this story. locking inside where the accident happen, there are five

bullet holes in the wall. it happen monday afternoon and the care taker was busted with 28 mounts of marijuana and when the police broke in to search the house, one accident accidently fired his weapon. the question in the case is the number of bullets fired 234 that house. a 23-year-old has been arrested for being responsible for a third assault. no knife in that one, it started out as arguments, but the protesters will take? -- stay in the square. -- the owners that are not putting their to go on a leash will now be given a warning and ticket. ten tints given out in the last few weeks -- up next, a new

finding about arsenic in another food and the new book that ,,,,,,,,

when you spend more days than not separated from your own life... when the only thing you can be sure of is migraines with 15 or more headache days a month, you're living a maybe life. and you may be living with chronic migraine. but knowing that this thing you're going through has a name, means knowing you can find treatments that are right for you. go to mychronicmigraine.com to find a headache specialist. and don't live a maybe life. does the mint hot chocolate make me cool? not really. the new mint hot chocolate from dunkin' donuts.

grab the cool sensation of mint today. and welcome back to "the early show." i'm chris wragge with rebecca jarvis. erica hill is off this morning. as you can see, it's a beautiful day here in new york city. >> gorgeous.ee, it's a beautiful >> hoping it turns around. coming, many families don't know how our military special forces operate. they're supposed to operate in secret, but the killing of osama bin laden has put these soldiers in the spotlight. >> it is incredible. what happens behind the scenes. also ahead, the average standup comic is sure to tell a few jokes about the family. maybe even two. we're going to show you one who is likely to complain about a moose. bob marley, this comedian, is a

funny local ledge yenned in maine inspired by the unique culture of northern new england. but first, we've been hearing a lot about arsenic lately. consumer reports has released a story about apple juice and grape juice having arsenic in it. >> and morning, we're hearing about rice having levels of arsenic in it. holly, thank you for being here. how does arsenic make its way into food? >> arsenic is in chemical that's in our soil and rocks naturally. but for many years in the united states, it was added to our soil in the form of pest ooid sides. that's a more dangerous form of the chemical called inorganic arsenic. it turns the out that the way that rice is grown, in the soil with a lot of water makes it particularly able to soak up arsenic. and so it gets concentrated in the rice and subsequently with eat it. >> so what are we looking at here with this study?

what are some of the things that the study did sflp the study was out of dartmouth. they looked at 200 women who were pregnant. some of the women had half a cup of rice a day. others had none. they tested their urine and found women who had a half cup of rice for two days had 53% more arsenic in their urine than women who didn't. so writ really shows rice can be a source of this chemical. but we do know it affects fetuses. it can affect pregnant women, it can affect the unborn baby. so as much as we can avoid it is a good thing. >> so what are the effects on a fetus, for example, on an unborn baby or the mother? >> it has to do with how much you're exposed to. the epa regulates how much arsenic is in our drinking water. that's 10 parts per billion. it is not unxhn for rice to have

100 parts per billion or even up to 2,000 parts per billion. in extremely high doses, arsenic can cause cancers, particularly liver cancer, kidney cancer and lung cancer as well as bladder cancer. it's linked with heart disease, diabetes and in neurologic problems in children. but the real question here is how much arsenic are we dealing with? and we don't know that yet. but what this study shows is that we might want to take a closer look at our dietary sources. >> you see those graphics there? you see that information. is there a way to avoid it? >> there's not a way to avoid it completely. but you can make a difference by going organic, particularly with things we know are high in arsenic. particularly chicken, apple juice, rice are all high in arsenic. even rice cereals and rice milk we need to be careful of. you should get your water tested, particularly if you have well water. city water is tested

automatically. or if you have concerns, you can get yourself tested. it's an easy blood test at the doctor's office. >> and just to clarify, we know it could be bad, but it's the quantity that people come in contact with that is the significant part of this story. >> exactly. right now, we think that you would have to have gallons and gallons of rice to really put yourself in danger. that doesn't mean we shouldn't follow it closely. >> all right. dr. holly philips, as always, great information. we appreciate it. >> for more on the risks, go to our partner in health webmd.com and search the word arsenic. a lot of information. >> a lot of information, very helpful information. now we turn to jeff glor at the news desk with a check of the headlines. >> i'm all about the information. good morning, guys. good morning to you. standard & poors says it may downgrade 15 euro zone countries. this morning, it includes both germany and france. angela merkel and french president sarkozy have unveiled

a plan to penalize countries that fail to keep their debt crisis under control. there was a violent protest in athens this morning. high school students clashed at police with a rally marking three years since the fatal police shooting of a teenager. an investigation is earn way in long beach, california, where the retired liner queen mary is moreed. last night, a 24-year-old woman fell from a walkway. rescuers pulled her from the water but she later died. a second elderly woman says she was put through an embarrassing strip search at jfk airport last weekend. 88-year-old ruth sherman says she was coming home from thanksgiving vacation where tsa agents asked her about a bump near her hip. she tried to explain it was a colostmy bag, but they took her to a private screening room,

anyway. >> hire somebody who has scrubs on, who is a nurse, who knows how to handle you. they said please, mrs. sherman, we have to do that. we apologize. could you please lower your pants. we would like to see this. >> the tsa says a preliminary review shows the tsa followed proper operating procedures. a 23-year-old model and fashion blogger from texas is in stable condition this morning after a terrifying accident. she walked into a plane's propeller. this happened on saturday night. lauren scruggs had just gotten off that plane. her skull was fractured. she had to have her left hand amputated. her parents say she's making a very slow recovery. >> asked her if she can hear me to squeeze my hand and she did. >> a family folks woman says scluggs suffered head, brain and shoulder injuries.

an unusual scene in new mexico, palm trees and snow together in los cruces. new mexico got up to a foot of snow there, yesterday whiteout conditions. temperatures are expected to get back to normal . good morning. we have rounds of rain, but it is warm many topping out in the mid 60s and tomorrow, the second part of the storm will come our way and pull in colder air tomorrow night and maybe special operations is not what they used to be in the war on terror. the u.s. military's elite units are facing a very different type of enemy, forcing big changes in the way they operate. >> joining us now, jim

frederick. time magazine's international editor. his new book is called special ops, the hidden world of america's toughest warriors. we are glad to have jim here with us this morning. jim, good to see you. >> good to be here. >> we know the special ops soldiers are a different breed. you see the birth of a special ops officer dates back to 1982. what was it that bought about this different soldier? >> special ops in some variety has existed since warfare existed. the big difference with world war ii was technology and training. what you found was that parachutes, deep strike airplanes, that was really the birth of u.s. army rangers. it was the berth of what we now think of as special operations forces. >> we've on the come a long way from that point in time, though. former senator bob kerry wrote the intro to your book. he's a former navy s.e.a.l., as

well. he says it's these results. results define and separate us from the past. how so? >> he made a comparison in his introduction where he compared his unit in 1967 s.e.a.l.s with today's s.e.a.l.s as a professional athletes compared to today where, you know, you always have joe namath who, you know, might have been an athlete for all times, but the average level of discipline and professionalism between professional sports teams today and back then, it's a world of difference. >> it's an evolution. >> and he said it's the exact same thing. it's techniques, training, tactics that special operations forces of 40 years ago can't even be compared with the level of methodology and stealth and really forced projecton that's capable today. >> some of the special leaders of this country have special

backgrounds. how does it shape the way the military has changed over the last few years? >> well, it's really changed everything, actually. i think that the biggest difference in the post gulf war one era and today is you've seen a complete changeover of the leadership. you know, back in 1991, you had the cold warriors who came from infantry or army and they envisioned and were training for grand world war three land battles that were going to rage across all europe. you had collin powell, tomny frapgs. over the past 20 years, i think you've seen all of the top leadership structure of the u.s. military today is deeply informed, they came from a special ops background. and today, even conventional military units, you know, infrared citing, working behind enemy lines, night strikes, the entire disposition of the way the military operates today has

been completely transformed. it's a special operations military. >> it's a leaner, sleeker, more sophisticated military. now it's all about fighting terrorism and doing these clandestine operations. >> it's about smaller wars, and a lot of the credit, surprisingly enough, is -- a lot of it goes back to donald rumsfeld and some of his thinking about using a smaller force to invade iraq. that didn't go so well. and it took ten years to refine the strategy and the tactics and to get to this place where it's now highly lethal, highly effective form of warfare that you see the crowning achievement was the killing of osama bin laden. >> what was the biggest surprise in your research? >> the biggest surprise was the degree to which this transformation has taken place? this is a new breed of warriors. then i think, finally, the final thing is that, you know, ptsd is really an important problem in the military, and especially so

with special operations. >> posttraumatic stress disorder. it's something that every one of those kids out there ends up coming home and dealing with. of >> good to see you this morning. we appreciate it. right now, we're going to pivot and change gears here. we're going to talk about some dating woes now. it's always a battle to find a partner who is right and millions of people have gotten help on the internet. >> but now the baby boomer generation and even their generation, are looking for love online. national corespondent dean reynolds reports. >> reporter: linda and andy dovik are as in love today as they were the day they were married, in september. >> you are beautiful. >> both widowed after long marriages, the couple met in july of 2010 online. >> each of us were married for some time, so it was kind of awkward to get back into a dating situation. there you are. >> reporter: so andy and a few months later linda turned to

online dating as a way out of their social isolation. >> it's really a hard time for a woman to find somebody. >> especially at our age. >> reporter: indeed, increasingly, seniors are seeking romance in cyberspace. people 55 and older are visiting american dating websites more than any other age bracket. increasing 39% in the last three years. >> these people are working longer, they're doing their normal activities longer, so they're going to date longer, too. >> andy was encouraged to use his keyboard as a flirtation device by his daughter. linda by her granddaughter. >> is this beyond your wildest dreams, what happened? >> absolutely. it's fantastic that they found each other and got married. i'm so happy for both of them and he's a great guy. >> how great a guy? he proposed a month and a day after their first face-to-face meeting. and then four days after that, linda was diagnosed with breast

cancer. andy's wife of 40 years died of that cancer. >> i tried to break up with him at that point because i didn't think he should have to go through it again. >> andy would hear none of it and acoped linda through a double ma secretastectomy and t. >> they married on 9/11. >> it's easy to remember. we're very much in love. >> they found each other and they found it was romantic. >> it was peeps very romantic. ee very romantic. >> courtship has clearly come a long way from flowers and a box of chocolates, but remember, shakespeare wrote sonnets and andy says sometimes composition is better than tongue-tied conversation. >> one of the things about e-mailing each other is you have an opportunity to think about what you're going to say so you don't put your foot into your mouth. >> and thanks to modern

technology, he now has a song in his heart. dean reynolds, cbs news, winfield, illinois. >> a great story there. >> that's really cute. i like that. >> it would be a nice e-harmony ad. >> it probably will be, by the way. >> you like to see those success stories. >> people in love. >> you're never too old to find love, right? >> never too old to find love. >> we'll be right back. this is "the early show." >> just repeat everything i say,

[ sue ] wow! i've been so looking forward to this. when my asthma symptoms returned, my doctor prescribed dulera to help prevent them. [ male announcer ] dulera is for patients 12 and older whose asthma is not well controlled on a long-term asthma control medicine, like an inhaled corticosteroid. dulera will not replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. dulera helps significantly improve lung function. this was shown over a 6 month clinical study. dulera contains formoterol, which increases the risk of death from asthma problems and may increase the risk of hospitalization in children and adolescents. dulera is not for people whose asthma is well controlled with a long-term asthma control medicine, like an inhaled corticosteroid. once your asthma is well controlled your doctor will decide if you can stop dulera and prescribe a different asthma control medicine, like an inhaled corticosteroid. do not take dulera more than prescribed. see your doctor if your asthma does not improve or gets worse. ask your doctor if dulera can help you breathe easier. ♪

this morning, we continue our series on local legends. >> today we travel to maine where a hometown kneedan named bob marley takes humor to a local that is liquid smack.

>> how about a warm welcome for the king of comedy, bob marley! ♪ >> how are you doing? i am comedian bob marley and welcome to portland, maine. >> the people in maine are awesome. they're wicked friendly and really nice. you always feel like you have their support and they've got your back. people who live here don't understand what we suffer. they don't understand. people, if you're here from florida, oh, boy, we don't like you. >> he's the best. >> he's hilarious. >> he hits new englanders spot on. >> this show, everybody, gets out of bed. >> now you've got to get up. >> i've got to get up. >> he speaks the queen's english

like myself. >> people in new england don't really care who you are or what you've done, as long as you're nice to them they'll be nice to you. i go, what's your name, bud? and he said -- >> buddy. >> what are the chances that his name would be bud? here you go, bud. >> thank you. >> thanks. >> i think you speak excellent english and your diction is fantastic, personally. >> wicked. >> wicked good english. >> the best part about new england is the weather. it's just aus ym. we struggle so much with the weather, it is such a bonding part of our lifestyle here that i bring it up at the shows all the time because it really unites us. my kid has 16 layers on under his ninja kos assume. people are like, is he a sumo? he's a fat ninja is what he is. he couldn't even walk. he's doing this. is he a zombie? he's a fat ninja. a lot of the people that live

here are very, very similar. like relatives are very similar. >> where is your turkey dinner? >> it was good except nana. nana is at the age where is she says anything, b she's like, i have to go to the bathroom. i've had too much turkey. we're like, okay, nana. my uncle freddie shows up and he ain't got no teeth left any morp. that's popular in some parts of maine, no teeth. >> this is my mother. she runs the whole thing. irish catholic. she can't stop working. a lot of irish catholics in new england. my mother is irish catholic and it's a good guilt distributeder. i was catholic. that's the look she always has. remember that look? when you were a kid? >> you are maine comedy. those of us from new england understand his humor. >> we know we're irish.

we know we like drinking and we don't mind shoveling. we both like the pat's and the bruins. why wouldn't we drink? have you seen us in april when we finally come out of the house? nobody in this room can put a pair of shorts on in april that fat. they fit if you don't dry them. and if you don't drink 40 beers a night they fit, too, fat [ bleep ]. >> a couple of beers. if you get an opportunity, bob is very funny for vacations. >> it's the best. >> go there for your summer vacation. have a great day, everybody. your local news is next. we'll see you right here on "the early show." >> take care. ñh

,,,,,,,,

li s ,,,,,,,, id li s m ba llral,was id unl m ba

. we are starting the morning with rain. yes, it is raining, but it is warm. this will continue today and overnight. as for as temperatures, it is 59 and we will go up to the low and mid 60s for the highs with rain and drizzle on and off. this part of the storm will leave us, but when it does, it will pull in colder air and that could lead to snow and more on the colder temperatures heading into the weekend. in a raid a police officer

was hurt after being hit by a bullet from another police officer. >> the police officer said it was an accident, but there could be more to this story. look inside the home, there are at least five bullet holes in the wall. of the. it happen appear the resident had 28 poppeds of marijuana. the police heard more than one shot and they are trying to determine why so many shots were fired. that preacher has been paid of need. and the mayor will be sworn in for the first full term as mayor. she was there after the former

mayor left office. occupy baltimore and the protesting there and the # thousand gallons of gasoline overturned overnight. about a hundred gallon os on the roads. the truck diver is injured, but it is all minor -- we will learn the sentence today in civil court. that with the witness and evidence tampering and that is bus of $400,000. he will face 14 years in prison. a new bike path will soon make a connection at e street and go to the strain station and a concrete median will

separate the path from cars and that should be finished by the spring of 2013. stay with us for more on the news and ,,,,,,,,,,

[ male announcer ] are you paying more and more for cable and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for our best price online -- just $79.99 a month for two years with a 2 year agreement. it's an amazing holiday deal. but don't wait. it's only available for a limited time. so go to verizon.com/superoffer to sign up. act now and we'll add a special bonus -- $300 back. fios delivers the best picture quality, plus america's fastest, most consistent